From the moment your car pulls in at the entrance of Plataran Dharmawangsa, don’t stress yourself for not knowing where to park it. The enthralling experience of this establishment begins even before you place a single step into it. All cars will be subjected to valet service without charge.

From there on, guests are immediately greeted with a beautifully trimmed garden that stood as a stark contrast to the outside environment that came before entering this establishment. A member of the Plataran Hotels & Resorts, Plataran Dharmawangsa is a dining establishment that emphasised on the atmosphere of a royal residence.

Here, the dining area is effectively splits into four different rooms – Sedap Malam (main dining room), Melati (conservatory room), Kenanga (semi-outdoor room) and Kantil (a separate authentic Limasan house). Those who wish to soak themselves in the ambience of Javanese royalty would do well to dine in “Sedap Malam” room – an authentic Joglo house that is three generations old.

The establishment is richly decorated with relics sourced from all over Indonesia – from delicately carved wooden screen to antique plates hanging on the wall. In the hands of other establishment, all these relics would have bogged down the overall aesthetic of the restaurant. But in Plataran Dharmawangsa, they were handled in a deft way that they are assimilated organically into the surroundings of the establishment. A European chandelier that pierced into the middle of the main dining area provides an arresting juxtaposition to the antiquity charm.

No food is too plebeian here in Plataran Dharmawangsa. The pull of the establishment is the selection of dependable and familiar Indonesian dishes that did not try hard to prove themselves. Here, a simple dish of Gado Gado received the same amount of ardent attention to more complicated dishes such as, Ikan Kerapu Bakar Labuan Bajo, Scallops with Cornflakes and Coconut Pudding.

The staffs complete the circle of the establishment’s experience. They appear and disappear just as quickly with your order while dispensing warm hospitality. There’s a feeling that you’re being watched, but all in the good way, for they do so from a respectable distance and it further demonstrated their attentiveness and readiness.

All in all, Plataran Dharmawangsa is quite possibly one the top-drawer establishments in the south that offers an extensive and exclusive (in a good way) dining experience. It did not achieve that by shouting conspicuous grandeur from outside, but it is the combination of the charming venue, terrific food and attentive service that cemented the establishment’s royalty status.